Albania has lost its top position in Europe for growth in tourist overnight stays, ranking third this year behind Ireland and Malta. Kosovo ranks fourth, continuing to record significant growth in tourism activity.
After three years of double-digit growth and record results at the European level, Albania has recorded a more moderate increase in overnight stays this year.
According to Eurostat data, during the first six months of the year, overnight stays in Albania increased by 9.1% compared with the same period in 2025. The increase was 10.2% for domestic tourists and 8.7% for foreign tourists.
In total, Albania recorded 3.38 million tourist overnight stays between January and June, of which 2.45 million were generated by foreign tourists.
Ireland tops the European ranking for growth in overnight stays this year with 15%, followed by Malta with 10%, while Albania ranks third with 9.1%.
Kosovo also continues to show a positive trend, ranking fourth with an increase of 6%. In the second quarter, overnight stays by foreign tourists in Kosovo rose by 18%, while in Albania the increase for the same category was 8.5%.
Across the European Union, overnight stays increased by just 1.7% during the first half of the year. In absolute terms, Spain, Italy and France recorded the highest numbers of tourist overnight stays.
The post Albania Loses Top Spot in Europe for Growth in Tourist Overnight Stays appeared first on Euronews Albania.
